The gift system in Dragon Age Origins lets you acquire and present items to win over the characters you like the most. Here is your comprehensive guide to gifting in Dragon Age Origins, including the best items to give to each character.
Even after its initial release in 2009, Dragon Age Origins continues to be a beloved title in the RPG genre, earning the affection of fans from every corner of Thedas.
Spawning several follow-up titles in the form of Dragon Age Origins: Awakening, Dragon Age 2, and Dragon Age: Inquisition, the fourth installment of the classic series is rumored to be appearing sometime in the future.
If you’re still hopelessly obsessed with the original like us, though, you may be wondering about the game’s bonding system. So, here’s how to give gifts in Dragon Age Origins, and where to find all of your companion’s secret desires.
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Dragon Age Origins gifts
You may be wondering why the game even includes a gift system in the first place, and why it matters to give your fellow warriors gifts.
Characters in Dragon Age have an approval rating based upon the choices your Grey Warden makes. Agree with them, they’ll approve. Disagree, and they won’t be a big fan. Gifts are an easy way to mend fractured relationships, or enhance the ones you already have.
There are two types of gift:
| Gift Type | Approval Points |
| Regular | +5 |
| Special | +10 |
| Plot | +10 |
Importantly, the amount of approval a character gives will diminish by 1 for each gift given, and once players hit 100 approval, gifts don’t do anything. Additionally, if you’re in one of your fellow traveler’s bad books, you’ll only receive half the approval points of the gift given.
Dragon Age Origins: How to give gifts
If you’re someone who cares about your popularity, as well as unlocking some unique quests and interactions with your followers, then you’ll need to know how to give them their gifts.
In order to give a character a gift:
- Go to your Inventory.
- Select the character the gift is for.
- Highlight the gift.
- Give the gift and watch those approval ratings soar!
- X on PlayStation
- A on XBOX
- Double click the gift, or drag it to the recipient on PC.
Dragon Age Origins: Who to give gifts to & locations list
Alistair
Your trusty ally through and through, junior Grey Warden turned Ferelden’s saving grace, Alistair, can befriend the male Warden or romance the female. Whether you’re looking for friendship or something a little more, here’s all of the gifts you’ll need to snatch the handsome joker’s heart.
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| Gift Name | Gift Type | Location |
| Alistair’s Mother’s Amulet | Plot gift | Redcliffe Castle, Arl Eamon’s study |
| Duncan’s Shield | Plot gift | Grey Warden Vault, behind a bookcase in Denerim’s Market Warehouse. |
| Black Runestone | Special | Locked chest at Aeducan Thaig |
| Joining Chalice | Special | Acquired via the Return to Ostagar DLC |
| Onyx Demon Statuette | Special | In a bone pile by the South Gravestone in East Brecilian Forest |
| Small Carved Statuette | Special | Inside a crate on the North side of Lothering |
| Stone Dragon Statuette | Special | Locked chest on the second floor of Redcliffe Castle |
| Stone Warrior Statuette | Special | In Dragon Filth at the Mountainside Carverns during the Urn of Sacred Ashes quest |
| White Runestone | Special | Looted from an Abomination in the Great Hall of The Circle Tower. |
Dog
Saved from death early in the story by the Warden, you’ll be reunited with your canine companion after the events of the Battle of Ostagar – and who wouldn’t want to shower this adorable fluffball with gifts! Bear in mind that his approval rating always sits at 100, so if you desperately want someone else’s attention you can give his gifts to them, instead.
| Gift Name | Gift Type | Location |
| Beef Bone | Special | Ostagar |
| Beef Bone | Special | Templar’s Quarters at The Circle Tower |
| Found Cake | Special | Found by Dog |
| Tangled Ball of Yarn | Special | Found by Dog |
| Lamb Bone | Special | Main floor of Redcliffe Castle in a chest |
| Large Bone | Special | Haven |
| Large Bone | Special | Soldier’s Keep in the Warden’s Keep DLC |
| Ox Bone | Special | In rubble at the West Brecilian Forest |
| Veal Bone | Special | Denerim Alienage |
Leliana
Straight out of the Chantry and into the heat of battle, former assassin turned agent of Andraste Leliana is a pretty simple girl to please. Romancable by both the male and female Warden, earning her approval is relatively easy. Tldr: she really likes shoes.
| Gift Name | Gift Type | Location |
| Andraste’s Grace | Plot |
|
| Cute Nug | Plot | Bought from the Idle Dwarf in Dust Town. |
| Blue Satin Shoes | Special | Bought via random drop from Old Tegrin |
| Silver Sword of Mercy | Special | Bought via random drop from Old Tegrin |
| Bronze Symbol of Andraste | Special | Locked chest in Lothering Chantry |
| Chantry Amulet | Special | Looted from a Templar body in The Circle’s Senior Mage Quarters |
| Etched Silver Symbol | Special | Buy from Ruck at Ortan Thaig |
| Golden Symbol of Andraste | Special | Buy from Legnar in Orzammar Commons |
| Silver Symbol of Andraste | Special | Gentivi’s Home in Denerim Market District |
Logahin
Yes, you read that right, Logahin. You can buy gifts for the big bad guy. Depending if he joins you at the Landsmeet, you can attempt to win him even more by sneaking him some cheeky surprises.
| Gift Name | Gift Type | Location |
| Current map of Ferelden | Special | Denerim Alienage |
| Ancient Map of the Imperium | Special | Bought from Wonders of Thedas in Denerim Market District |
| Map of Occupied Ferelden | Special | Obtained during the Final Onslaught in a chest in Redcliffe Castle |
| Map of Anderfels | Special | Found in the Grey Warden Vault in Denerim Market District |
Morrigan
Shrouded in mystery that hides a heart of gold, Witch of the Wilds Morrigan also accompanies the Warden on their journey from start to finish. A possible lover of the male Warden and friend of the female, here’s how to break down that thorny exterior.
| Gift Name | Gift Type | Location |
| Black Grimoire | Plot | Irving’s Chest in the Circle’s Senior Mage Quarters |
| Flemeth’s Grimoire | Plot | In a locked chest in Flemeth’s hut (key acquired by defeating her in battle) |
| Golden Mirror | Plot | Bought from Garin’s store in Orzammar Commons |
| Gold Amulet | Special | Bought from Garin’s store in Orzammar Commons |
| Gold Demon Pendant | Special | Found in The Gauntlet at the Mountain Top during the Urn of Sacred Ashes quest |
| Golden Rope Necklace | Special | Bought from Bodahn in camp |
| Locket | Special | Found in an Iron Chest at the Haven store |
| Silver Brooch | Special | Bought from Varathorn at the Dalish Camp |
| Silver Chain | Special | Found in a vanity in the Circle’s Senior Mage Quarters |
| Silver Medallion | Special | Dragon Hoard in the Ruins Upper Level of the Brecilian Ruins |
Oghren
Rough and ready on the outside but adorable in the inside, having the Dwarven tank, Oghren, on your side is a pretty good idea. After all, he has one very large ax and a habit of flying off the handle for no reason at all.
| Gift Name | Gift Type | Location |
| Ale | Special | Bought from:
|
| Alley King’s Flagon | Special | Bought from Legnar in the Orzammar Commons |
| Chasind Sack Mead | Special | Found among dusty scrolls in the Ruined Temple during the Urn of Sacred Ashes quest |
| Garbolg’s Backcountry Reserve | Special | Found by the dog |
| Golden Scythe 4:90 Black | Special | Found in a crate in Lothering |
| Legacy White Shear | Special | In a sarcophagus in the Lower Ruins of the Brecilian Ruins |
| Whilhelm’s Special Brew | Special | Found in Honnleath during the Stone Prisoner DLC |
| Sun Blonde Vint-1 | Special | Found in a vanity in the Circle’s Senior Mage Quarters |
Shale
A companion that you can only meet during the Stone Prisoner DLC, Shale is a golem with a love for jewels. Her gifts only provide +5 approval, but ironically run a lot more expensive than the gifts for your other companions.
| Gift Name | Gift Type | Location |
| Remarkable Amethyst | Regular | Bought from Alimar in Dust Town |
| Remarkable Diamond | Regular | Bought from Garin in Orzammar Commons (Console only) |
| Remarkable Sapphire | Regular | Bought from Figor in Orzammar Commons |
| Remarkable Emerald | Regular | Bought from Legnar in Orzammar Commons |
| Remarkable Greenstone | Regular | Found in Honnleath (Stone Prisoner DLC) |
| Remarkable Malachite | Regular | Looted from the Circle Tower’s Quartermaster in the Apprentice Quarters |
| Remarkable Ruby | Regular | Dropped by Orge Alpha in Cadash Thaig |
| Remarkable Topaz | Regular | Bought from Faryn outside the enterance to Orzammar Commons |
Sten
The first Quinari you ever encounter in Dragon Age is the silent but deadly Sten, who you can release from a cage in Lothering. A lover of all things fine in life, Sten’s apparently brutish appearance doesn’t fit his classy taste in gifts.
| Gift Name | Gift Type | Location |
| Sten’s Sword | Plot | Confront the scavenger at Lake Calenhad Docks after achieving 25 approval with Sten. |
| Painting of the Rebel Queen | Special | Bought via random drop from Old Tegrin |
| Silver Framed Still Life | Special | Found in a chest on the Upper Floor of Redcliffe Castle |
| Portrait of a Goosegirl | Special | Bought from Faryn in the Frostback Mountains |
| Totem | Special | In a chest at the Deep Roads at Caridin’s Cross |
| Water Stained Portrait | Special | Looted from a charred body in the Circle Tower’s Senior Mage Quarters. |
Wynne
Reflecting your typical older female mage, Wynne is a fan of a good book – as well as a good glass (or well, bottle) of wine to go with it. Words are the way to Wynne’s heart, and she’s a fearsome force to have on-side.
| Gift Name | Gift Type | Location |
| Discovering Dragon’s Blood | Regular | Found in a bookshelf in the Ruined Temple during the Urn of Sacred Ashes quest |
| The Guerrin’s of Ferelden | Regular | Found in a bookshelf on the upper floors of Redcliffe Castle |
| Fancy Scroll | Regular | Found in a sarcophagus in the Lower Ruins of the Brecilian Ruins |
| The Rose of Orlais | Regular | Found in a pile of books in the Circle Tower’s Senior Mage Quarters |
| Wine | Regular | Bought from:
|
Zevran
Charming and inquisitive, but deadly with a dagger, Crow Assassin Zevran loves a good surprise. A possible lover of both the male and female Warden, earning Zevran’s approval doesn’t seem too difficult, but truly winning his heart is another matter entirely.
| Gift Name | Gift Type | Location |
| Antivan Leather Boots | Plot | Found in a locked chest in Haven’s store |
| Dalish Gloves | Plot | Found in the West Brecilian Forest after visiting the abandoned campsite. |
| Medium Gold Bar | Special | Found in a treasure pile at the Arl of Denerim’s Estate |
| Medium Silver Bar | Special | Found at the Anvil of the Void during A Paragon of Her Kind |
| Small Gold Bar | Special | Looted from Charmed Templars in the Circle Tower |
| Small Silver Bar | Special | Found in the Inscribed Chest in Haven’s Chantry |
So that’s a full guide for all things gifting in Dragon Age Origins! Looking for more gaming news? Be sure to check out our dedicated page.